Floating structure for the mooring of yachts and other similar craft

ABSTRACT

A floating structure for the mooring of yachts and similar craft, comprising en elongated main jetty and a number of landing platforms attached to said main jetty and protruding therefrom, in which the landing platforms are considerably wider adjacent to the main jetty than at any distance away from it, the greater part of the buoyancy of both main jetty and landing platforms being formed by a float below the main jetty and the landing platforms in the area where their axes intersect. Moreover there are rigid beams below the main jetty protruding therefrom and supporting the jetty and the landing platforms and connected to the float structure underneath.

Meeusen :1 im at:

States Patent [191 [11] 3,831,538 [451 Aug. 27, 1974 [76] Inventor: Pieter Meeusen, Barendrechtseweg 30, Barendrecht, Netherlands [22] Filed: Oct. 24, I972 [21] Appl. No: 300,392

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 28, 1971 Netherlands 7114866 [52] US. Cl. 114/.5 BD, 61/48 [51] Int. Cl B631) 35/00 [58] field of Search 114/.5 R, .5 BD, .5 D, 114/.5 F, .5 T, 43.5, 230; 61/48 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,323,479 6/1967 Filak 114/.5 F 3,442,238 5/1969 Oost 114/.5 F

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 6,612,667 9/1966 Netherlands 61/48 Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Assistant Examiner-Sherman D. Basinger Attorney, Agent, or FirmYoung & Thompson [57] ABSTRACT A floating structure for the mooring of yachts and similar craft, comprising en elongated main jetty and a number of landing platforms attached to said main jetty and protruding therefrom, in which the landing platforms are considerably wider adjacent to the main jetty than at any distance away from it, the greater part of the buoyancy of both main jetty and landing platforms being formed by a float below the main jetty and the landing platforms in the area where their axes intersect. Moreover there are rigid beams below the main jetty protruding therefrom and supporting the jetty and the landing platforms and connected to the float structure underneath.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures FLOATING STRUCTURE F OR THE MING T YACHTS AND OTHER SlllL CFT This invention relates to a floating structure for the mooring of yachts and more similar craft and comprises an elongated main jetty and a number oflanding platforms attached to said main jetty and protruding therefrom. Such structures are known in different embodiments. Usually the landing platforms have the necessary buoyancy to support the main jetty, which extends over a number of landing platforms. In other structures floats are provided both below the landing platforms and below the main jetty.

Such known structures have several disadvantages.

They do not use the available area to the utmost ffi-.

ciency and give rise to easy breaking of the connections between landing platforms and main jetty. Owing to the position of the floats most known structures are not suited for easy adjustment and displacement of the landing platforms along the length of the main jetty.

in view thereof the present invention aims at improving such known structures to make them strong, easily adjustable and of light weight, with a most efficient use of the available water surface area for mooring a maximum number of ships of any desired combination of sizes. Moreover it is an object of this invention to give a simple and non-expensive structure with a quite favorable distribution of the floats so as to avoid high bending stresses by vertical bending in landing platforms and main jetty. As to the strength of the structure, it is particularly intended to connect the landing platforms to the main jetty with high resistance to sideways (transverse) forces on the outer ends of the land ing platforms.

To obtain these objects, a floating structure as indicated in the preamble above is, according to the invention, mainly characterized in that the landing platforms are considerably wider adjacent the main jetty than at any distance away from it, the greater part of the buoyancy of both main jetty and landing platforms being formed by a float structure below the mainjetty and the landing platforms in the area where their axes intersect.

Thus the landing platforms can be made strong and can, in points, spaced considerably apart, rigidly be connected to the main jetty and nevertheless be oflight weight and sufficiently narrow in the area where the moored ships have their greatest width, while the landing platforms will not need any other floats than those below their intersection area with the main jetty, or only small floats in other areas. Such relatively large intersection areas provide room for large floats, which do not have to protrude outside jetty and platforms.

The landing platforms may taper towards their outer end almost to a point, giving access only to mooring posts located as near the ends as possible but need not be possible up to the outer end. This tapered design gives ample platform space where needed while deleting unnecessary platform area, leading to a saving in weight, and of course, a lessening of the buoyancy required, i.e.. smaller float elements. The landing platforms are thus cheaper per unit length than conventional rectangular landing platforms.

As the landing platforms are very wide where they border the main jetty the full width float element(s) placed under this junction give excellent buoyancy and stability to them, making assembly and dismantling easier.

With the conventional floating jetties the landing platform construction is with two parallel members, cross beams and intermediate bracing. This bracing cannot be omitted when using parallel members and so obviously increases the weight and cost of the platfomis.

This invention makes the use of intermediate bracing between crossbeams unnecessary under normal conditions.

The narrower landing platforms, preferably tapering almost to a point, also provide the: advantage that there is wider entry to the mooring site and less risk of collision with the ends of the platforms. The landing platforms according to the invention, tapering sharply at first from the main jetty and thereafter more slowly to the ends, gives a widening effect to the main jetty at the head of each landing platform. These two factors give easier access to the landing platforms, and thus to the boats, while leaving ample room, at the head of each landing platform, for refuse bins, drinking water connections, lighting fixtures, etc. These two factors also mean that the main jetty need not to be so wide, which in turn, makes it cheaper. The widening effect of the main jetty by enlarging the head of the landing plat forms is known as such from US. Pat. specification No. 3,022,759.

Due to the large area used by the crossing of the main jetty with the crosswise landing platforms and with the float structure below this crossing, the spans of the main jetty between supports are shorter. This means that the main jetty framework requires less stiffening, and again, lowers the cost.

The invention further concerns as a preferred embodiment such a structure characterized in that rigid beams are provided in the area of intersection of the axes of the main jetty and a landing platform below said structures and protruding transversely outside the main jetty, said beams supporting the main jetty and the landing platform with their walking surfaces at substantially the same level and being connected to the float structure underneath.

Thereby it is more easy to give the walking surfaces of jetty and platforms the same level, there is good regidity against vertical bending in the connection and it is easy to detach the beams from the main jetty without detaching the connection between the beams and the landing platform and the float or floats, so that this whole structure can be displaced as a unity longitudinally of the main jetty while floating to secure it to another area along the main jetty. To make this more easy, it is preferred that in the wider parts of the landing platforms there are hatch covers easily removable to allow access to the interior of a float of the said float structure. The hatch covers can be used to give access to the float below not only for storing goods and for inspection and repairs, but also for allowing a person to stand in the float to lower the float with beams and landing platform(s) to separate it from the main jetty downwardly after detaching the beams and the platform( s) from the jetty. Thus it is easy to float the beams as a stably floating structure with the landing platform(s) to be secured to another zone along the jetty.

It is according to the invention preferred, that the landing platforms are, apart from the possible connec tions to the main jetty through the beams below landing platforms and main jetty, directly connected to the main jetty near their points of greatest width only. This allows for a simple connection in two points, which facilitates connecting, disconnecting and adjustment of the landing platforms with respect to the main jetty, and which gives a great resistance to horizontal bending loads on the ends of the landing platforms without high forces, as the resisting moment against such bending is formed by two forces far apart and thus of low magnitude.

This invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of part of the structure according to the invention, where two landing platforms in line with each other are connected to opposite sides of a main jetty, and with partly removed platforms; and

FIG. 2 shows a vertical section and view as shown by line lI-Il in FIG. 1.

The main jetty 1 consists of two parallel beams 2 and cross beams 3 made, for instance, of salt water resistant aluminum or wood. Each landing platform 4 consists of two long wooden beams 8, a beam 6, inclined beams 9 and a long beam 10, forming a rigid frame for the platforms 4. A large, central, float structure, shown as consisting of two floats 5, is mounted below jetty l and platforms 4, the floats not protruding horizontally outside beams 6 and 9.

Beam 6 is, as shown in FIG. 2, the only beam of the landing platform frame, which is at a lower level than the other beams thereof (8, 9 and Rigid angular connecting parts stiffen the connections between these beams at the intersection of beams 6, 8 and 9 (at 17), at 7 between beams 9 and 10 and at between beams 8 and 10. Such connections may consist of wooden blocks fitting in the corners between these beams and rigidly connected thereto as by bolts through suitable holes in beams and blocks as shown by dot and dash lines at 7 and 17, or by metal links bolted to these parts as shown at 15.

The beams 8 of the landing platforms converge outwardly and are rigidly connected at 11 at their outer ends, where a bollard I3 is mounted between them. At 7 the beams are rigidly connected to bollards 12. If desired, bollards may be mounted in other points.

Two heavy beams 14, preferably U-shaped metal beams, extend transversely to the longitudinal direction of main jetty l and protrude sideways therefrom to lower beams 6, to which they are rigidly connected, e.g. by engaging with their ends over part of the width of beams 6 into a slot in said beams with their vertical web and their legs or having their legs engaging the top and bottom face of beams. Bolts may extend through beams 6 and through such end parts of beams 14 to connect them rigidly together and the same or other bolts may extend through beams 8 or the blocks at 17 to connect them rigidly together. Bolts extending vertically through the links at 15 and through the wooden blocks filling the corners between beams 8 and 10 in that area connect this side of each landing platform 4 to said beams 14 adjacent the main jetty. Thus, the landing platforms 4 are rigidly connected to the beams 14 and need not be easily detachable therefrom.

The landing platforms are connected at 7 (below the bollards l2) rigidly but easily detachably to the side beams 2 of main jetty l, e.g. by horizontal bolts and units positioned as indicated by horizontal dot and dash lines in FIGS. 1 and 2. In stead thereof hooked clamps may be used, rigidly connected to beams 9 or 10 or to the blocks at 7 and engaging around the edges of the side beams 2 of main jetty 1, if desired into a longitudinal slot 18 in the inside wall of beams 2 as shown in FIG. 2.

There need not be any direct connection between metal beams 14 and main jetty 1, these beams 14 being pushed upwardly into contact with the underside of beams 2 of main jetty 1 by the floats 5. The detachable connections at 7 may well be sufficient to take up all horizontal forces between landing platforms 4 and main jetty 1.

In its wide part near the main jetty each landing platform 4 has a hatch cover 16 between beams 8. By opening such covers, the interior of the floats 5 becomes accessible.

This interior may be used for storing ropes, lamps, oil or fuel or garbage. An important purpose of such accessibility of the floats is that, if it is desired to displace a landing platform or two such platforms in line, after loosening the connections at 7 between landing platform(s) and main jetty, a person may stand in the or each float 5 and lift the side beam 2 by hand, so that the contact force between beams 14 and beams 2 is suppressed, and this person is thus easily able to push the rigid floating structure, formed by landing platforms(s), beams 14 and float(s) 5 sideways, i.e., in longitudinal direction of main jetty l, by exerting a sideways force by his hands holding beams 2 and transmitted by his feet to the bottom of float(s) 5.

If it is desired not to have two landing platforms in line to both sides of main jetty 1, e.g. if said jetty extends close to a shore, quay or embankment, each landing platform 4 may have its own two beams 14, there may be one float 5 for each platform 4 extending or at least a float structure having its center of gravity or buoyancy more to the right than the left float 5 in FIGS. 1 and.2 (or, for the right platform 4, more to the left). The beams 14 may then extend from beam 6 to the opposite beam 2 of jetty 1.

If bolts are used to connect the platform 4 at 7 to the main jetty l, the beams 2 of said jetty may have a number of openings for passing the bolts therethrough at regular intervals along the jetty.

The landing platforms may have another, smaller, float away from the main jetty, for instance near their ends. This smaller float should be of such a size that the main buoyancy is still given by the main float structure at 5 and that the landing platform does not tend to bend easily under load. This smaller float could also be designed to protrude from the side of the landing platform and act as a fender in which case it should be fabricated from an elastic material and hollow inside.

As alternatives the landing platforms could either not taper at all outside beams 9, or become a straight single beam outside beams 9 for mooring and partition purposes only, or taper evenly from the side of the main jetty, but the embodiment as shown is preferable.

I claim:

1. In a floating structure for the mooring of yachts and similar craft, comprising an elongated main jetty and a number of landing platforms attached to said main jetty and protruding therefrom, the landing platforms being considerably wider adjacent the main jetty than at any distance away from it; the improvement in which the greater part of the buoyancy of both said main jetty and said landing platforms is supplied by a float structure immediately beneath the intersection where the main jetty and the landing platforms meet, a rigid beam structure at said intersection below said jetty and platform and protruding transversely outside the main jetty, said beam structure supporting the main jetty and the landing platform with their walking surfaces at substantially the same level and being connected to said float structure with the float structure immediately below the beam structure so as to form coherent unitary rigid structures each consisting of said landing platform, said float structure and said beam structure, and means by which said coherent unitary rigid structures are easily detachable from and connectible to the main jetty and displaceable as a whole in the lengthwise direction of the main jetty in a stable floating condition.

2. A floating structure according to claim I, in which the landing platforms themselves, apart from the beam structure, are connected directly to the main jetty only near their points of greatest width.

3. A floating structure according to claim 1, in which the landing platforms taper sharply from adjacent the main jetty outwardly to about the outer end of said beam structure, and sides of said platforms tapering from a much smaller angle from this region near the outer end of said beam structure to the outer end of the platforms.

4. A floating structure according to claim 1, in which at their outer ends the landing platforms are much narrower than a width necessary for normal walking purposes.

5. A floating structure according to claim 1, comprising two landing platforms protruding from opposite sides of the main jetty, said platforms being mutually rigidly connected by said beam structure underneath the main jetty and said platforms, said beam structure protruding transversely from both sides of the main etty.

6. A floating structure according to claim 1, comprising two landing platforms protruding from opposite sides of the main jetty, said platforms being mutually rigidly connected by said beam structure underneath the main jetty and said platforms, said beam structure protruding transversely from both sides of the main jetty, the only connection between said rigid coherent unity of two landing platforms, beam structure and float structure on the one hand and main jetty on the other hand being the connections of the loading platforms directly to the main jetty in the zones of greatest width of the loading platfonns, apart from the upward force exerted by said beam structure on and in contact with the lower face of the main jetty by the buoyancy of the float structure connected to said beam structure. 

1. In a floating structure for the mooring of yachts and similar craft, comprising an elongated main jetty and a number of landing platforms attached to said main jetty and protruding therefrom, the landing platforms being considerably wider adjacent the main jetty than at any distance away from it; the improvement in which the greater part of the buoyancy of both said main jetty and said landing platforms is supplied by a float structure immediately beneath the intersection where the main jetty and the landing platforms meet, a rigid beam structure at said intersection below said jetty and platform and protruding transversely outside the main jetty, said beam structure supporting the main jetty and the landing platform with their walking surfaces at substantially the same level and being connected to said float structure with the float structure immediately below the beam structure so as to form coherent unitary rigid structures each consisting of said landing platform, said float structure and said beam structure, and means by which said coherent unitary rigid structures are easily detachable from and connectible to the main jetty and displaceable as a whole in the lengthwise direction of the main jetty in a stable floating condition.
 2. A floating structure according to claim 1, in which the landing platforms themselves, apart from the beam structure, are connected directly to the main jetty only near their points of greatest width.
 3. A floating structure according to claim 1, in which the landing platforms taper sharply from adjacent the main jetty outwardly to about the outer end of said beam structure, and sides of said platformS tapering from a much smaller angle from this region near the outer end of said beam structure to the outer end of the platforms.
 4. A floating structure according to claim 1, in which at their outer ends the landing platforms are much narrower than a width necessary for normal walking purposes.
 5. A floating structure according to claim 1, comprising two landing platforms protruding from opposite sides of the main jetty, said platforms being mutually rigidly connected by said beam structure underneath the main jetty and said platforms, said beam structure protruding transversely from both sides of the main jetty.
 6. A floating structure according to claim 1, comprising two landing platforms protruding from opposite sides of the main jetty, said platforms being mutually rigidly connected by said beam structure underneath the main jetty and said platforms, said beam structure protruding transversely from both sides of the main jetty, the only connection between said rigid coherent unity of two landing platforms, beam structure and float structure on the one hand and main jetty on the other hand being the connections of the loading platforms directly to the main jetty in the zones of greatest width of the loading platforms, apart from the upward force exerted by said beam structure on and in contact with the lower face of the main jetty by the buoyancy of the float structure connected to said beam structure. 